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Yearly Archives: 2013

Donate Life California Sponsors Former State Senator Sharon Runner on 2014 Donate Life Rose Parade Float

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct. 15, 2013 – Former California State Senator Sharon Runner will “Light Up the World” with 29 other organ and tissue transplant recipients on the 2014 Donate Life Rose Parade Float. Sharon represents Donate Life California as a rider on the 11th annual Donate Life Float as it travels along the 5-mile parade route through Pasadena on New Year’s Day.R275A_SharonRunner

At age 30, Sharon was diagnosed with Sclerodoma, a disease that affects the lungs. More than 20 years later, while serving in the State Assembly in 2006, she began having trouble breathing at higher elevations. Her doctors discovered she had lost nearly 60 percent of her lung capacity and would need to travel with portable oxygen. She was also told she would need a double-lung transplant within five years. Despite the diagnosis, she continued to serve in the assembly, and in 2011 was elected to the State Senate. But, her health took a turn for the worse later that year – a tracheotomy left her unable to speak. In February 2012, her prayers were answered and she received a double-lung transplant.

“I am so grateful to the family of the 36-year-old woman who determined to donate her lungs,” she said. “My son was 35 then, and I was heartbroken to think what losing my own son would have meant.”

Read more about Sharon Runner and her transplant journey here.

The Rose Parade is seen by tens of millions of people across the U.S. and around the world on New Year’s Day. To meet all of the organ and tissue transplant recipients who will be riding on the 2014 Donate Life Rose Parade float, click here. To read the full news release, click here.

Contact:
Brianne Mundy
Donate Life California
brianne@donatelifecalifornia.org

High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.

Governor Jerry Brown Signs Bill Ensuring Organ & Tissue Donation in Coroners’ Cases

CSCA Logo - colorSAN DIEGO, Calif., Sept. 24, 2013 – Governor Jerry Brown today signed a bill into law that will help Donate Life California, the state’s four organ procurement organizations (OPOs), and the county coroner and medical examiner offices ensure that a donor’s intent is honored and more lives are saved by organ and tissue transplantation.

AB 1297 (Pérez, 2013) recognizes and clarifies in the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act the relationship between the federally authorized OPOs and the coroners in what is known as “imminent” coroner jurisdiction cases. Because there is a very narrow time window between the declaration of death and the commencement of organ recovery by the OPO, it is vitally important that the coroner and the OPO work together. AB 1297 codifies the technical aspect of that partnership to ensure that both entities carry out their respective missions.

“More than 10 million Californians have said “YES!” to organ and tissue donation. By signing AB 1297, Governor Brown supports our state’s organ and tissue recovery personnel in fulfilling their legal obligation to honor a donor’s wishes,” said Lisa Stocks, president of Donate Life California. “California’s OPOs have wonderful working relationships with the many coroners across the state and we are grateful for their help in the organ and tissue recovery process.”

“We greatly appreciate the opportunity to work with Donate Life California and the legislature to pass this bill,” said Gregory Wyatt, President of the California State Coroners Association. “It helps ensure all efforts are made to honor a donor’s wish and save lives while helping us meet our important responsibility to confirm cause of death.”

Right now, more than 21,000 people in California are on the national organ transplant waiting list. These people will die without a life-saving transplant. Donate Life California’s mission is to save lives by inspiring people to sign up with the state organ and tissue donor registry.

About Donate Life California:
The Donate Life California Organ & Tissue Donor Registry is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ and tissue donor registry which records the decision to donate in a secure, confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: Donor Network West , Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services. For more information about the Donate Life California Registry, how donation saves and improves lives, and to sign up, please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

Contact:
Brianne Mundy
Program Manager
Donate Life California
619-563-5137
brianne@donatelifecalifornia.org

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High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.

Donate Life California Celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month by Encouraging Organ, Eye and Tissue Donation

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Sept. 15, 2013Donate Life California is encouraging Hispanics throughout the United States to register as organ, eye and tissue donors during National Hispanic Heritage Month, Sept. 15 through Oct. 15. National Hispanic Heritage Month commemorates and celebrates the contributions made by Hispanics across the United States and provides the perfect opportunity to make a life-saving difference by registering as a donor.

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Alfonso Garcia

Alfonso Garcia was 15 years old and training to be an amateur boxer when he got sick. His eyes and skin changed to a mustard-yellow color and he was so tired he couldn’t get out of bed. Doctors discovered the Northern California teen had a genetic disorder that caused his liver to shut down and if he didn’t get a liver transplant very soon he would die. About 24 hours after asking his father to call a priest to administer the last sacraments, a donor liver became available. A 22-year-old man had died as a result of a sinus infection. His liver saved Alfonso’s life – and other organs saved two others.

“I was on the edge of dying and, through a miracle, I am alive today,” said Alfonso. “It’s because of a donor and his gift.” Watch Alfonso’s story here or (English) here (Spanish).

Myths regarding donation continue to be major barriers preventing Hispanics from becoming registered donors and saving lives. Donate Life California has created a webpage dedicated to National Hispanic Heritage Month to encourage the Hispanic community to get the facts about organ, eye and tissue donation, talk about it with their family and friends, and help raise awareness using various social media tools.

Statistics

  • Nationally in 2012, the lives of nearly 4,000 Hispanics were saved through organ donation and transplantation; about 1,100 of those were in California.
  • Many thousands more Hispanics had their sight, health or mobility restored through corneal or tissue transplants.
  • Nearly 22,000 Hispanic patients are currently on the U.S. organ transplant waiting list; more than 8,000 are in California.

“Sadly, Hispanics are three times more likely than Caucasians to suffer from end stage renal failure and diabetes. Lack of available organs means longer waiting periods on transplant lists, years spent on dialysis, and sometimes death,” said Charlene Zettel, CEO of Donate Life California. “As with other minorities, Hispanics have the best chance for a successful organ transplant if the donor is of the same ethnic background.”

To register as a donor or for more information about how to get involved please visit www.donateLIFEcalifornia.org or www.doneVIDAcalifornia.org.

About Donate Life California:

Donate Life California is the nonprofit, state-authorized organ and tissue donor registry which records the decision to donate in a secure, confidential database that is searched by authorized organ and tissue recovery personnel at the time of an actual donation opportunity. It is administered by Donate Life California and California’s four nonprofit, federally designated organ recovery organizations: Donor Network West , Lifesharing, OneLegacy and Sierra Donor Services.

Contact:
Brianne Mundy
Program Manager
Donate Life California
619-563-5137
brianne@donatelifecalifornia.org

# # #

High concentration of Azithromycin in infected tissues is also caused by the fact that phagocytes and macrophages transport it to the site of infection and release in the area of inflammation. Azithromycin is prescribed in case of illness or injury at the time.